This message was sent out from DESE via webreply to all service providers and SPOE Directors:
Subject: Reminder - Change in check run - effective December 31, 2010
Message Source: Pam Thomas, Coordinator of First Steps Program
Intended Audience: Service Providers and System Point of Entry (SPOE) directors
Date: December 27, 2010
Reminder - The Central Finance Office (CFO) and the Office of Special Education-First Steps Program have made a change to the dates for claim submissions and check runs for the calendar year of 2011, effective December 31, 2010.
As you'll notice, the new schedule has a longer lapse time than what is currently established between the claim submission date and the check-run date. This will allow us to ensure monies are in place for payments to providers and that we are in compliance with Federal Cash Management Regulations. Please review the updated Reimbursement Schedule at the link below and plan accordingly.
Click Here To Access the New Schedule
Monday, December 27, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Giving Tree Thanks!!
Thank you Thank you Thank you!! We wanted to send pictures of all the gifts collected for the families. Thank you so much to all of you for your kindness and generosity towards our adopted families. We were overwhelmed by all the great gifts and gift cards you all contributed.
Have a wonderully safe and happy holiday season!!!!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Upcoming St. Louis Area EIC (RICC) Mtgs
The next scheduled EIC meeting is listed below. All meetings are scheduled to be held at Moog Center for Deaf Education located at:
The Moog Center for Deaf Education
12300 South Forty Drive
St. Louis, MO 63141
December 17 9:30am-11:30am
The meetings are usually scheduled for the 4th Friday of even numbered months.
The Moog Center for Deaf Education
12300 South Forty Drive
St. Louis, MO 63141
December 17 9:30am-11:30am
The meetings are usually scheduled for the 4th Friday of even numbered months.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
St. Louis Area EIT FAQs
As we move through the transition and training for EIT here in the St. Louis area, we have received many questions and comments from Family Service Coordinators and providers regarding the process. We have collected a number of the most common topics and have included them in this post to share the answers and information with everyone. As we learn more, we will pass the information along to you!
When will Early Intervention Teaming begin in St. Louis and how will referrals be made?
Early Intervention Teams were formed in St. Louis City and North St. Louis County in May of 2010. Those particular teams began taking referrals on July 1 2010. Since that date, all new referrals in St. Louis City and North County have been assigned to an EIT. The teams for St. Charles County, Central-West County, and Southwest County have been formed and will begin taking all new referrals in their areas shortly after January 1, 2011. Once those teams begin taking referrals, all new referrals for the St. Louis Area will be assigned to teams.
Referrals will continue to be assigned daily directly via the SPOE to individual Family Service Coordinators. Following intake, the FSC will contact a provider from their EIT to complete the DAYC as part of eligibility or a needs assessment for IFSP planning.
Who attends the monthly EIT Meetings?
All core members (FSC, OT, PT, SI, ST) must attend their designated EIT monthly meetings in person, or via conference call, on occasion, when not able to be there in person. Ancillary or Specialty providers (Social Work, Nutrition, Hearing, Vision, ABA, etc) are able to attend the monthly meetings but this must be an IFSP team decision and they can only attend the meeting for the time allotted to discuss the child/family they are working with. Family members do not attend the EIT meetings. Core EIT members (except FSCs) will be paid for the time they attend the monthly EIT meetings through a new direct pay process in WebSPOE- no authorizations or claims will be needed. Specialty/Ancillary members will be paid to attend the EIT meeting via the current authorization/claims process. In order to be paid for attending an EIT meeting, non-core members will have to be authorized via the IFSP.
Do I need to attend the monthly meeting if I don't have any children/families to discuss?
Yes, as part of the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) that every St. Louis Area EIT member signs, attendance at EIT meetings is mandatory. There are exceptions made for unforeseen circumstances, but otherwise this is a requirement to be on an EIT. In addition to discussing children on your caseload, part of the role of the EIT is to provide support and feedback for the rest of your team members. The discussion at the monthly EIT meetings should involve all team members as this is the best way to share ideas and draw upon each others strengths and experiences. This type of consultation is what makes the EIT model unique as a way to enhance the supports the families actually receive. All core members will be reimbursed for the time they attend the meeting regardless of whether they have children on the agenda to be discussed.
Who decides who will be the Primary Provider? Who makes other service decisions?
The initial IFSP team decides what supports will be needed to support the family in achieving their outcomes. The IFSP team includes the family. In the process of determining the IFSP supports, the team also designates one of the providers as the primary. The specific IFSP team for a family makes all service decisions in the context of IFSP meetings. The larger EIT group does not make these types of decisions. At any time, any member of the EIT could be approached to serve the role of a Primary or Supporting Provider. The frequency of visits for any provider is individualized and determined by the IFSP team based on the unique needs of each family.
What is the role of the Primary Provider?
Primary Providers are responsible for establishing a consistent relationship with the family. Communication and trust are very important in helping families and children achieve their outcomes. The role of Primary is important because they are the main person that the family will see on a frequent basis. Primary Providers will be there during all joint visits from other EIT members- taking in information, helping to ask questions, assisting the supporting provider with information regarding the child and family. The Primary Provider would then follow up with the family regarding what was discussed at any joint visits to see if the family had any questions or how things were going. It would then be the Primary Providers responsibility to bring any family related information to be discussed at the monthly EIT meetings and ultimately bring any ideas back to the family.
What is the role of the supporting provider or joint visitor?
Supporting providers will sometimes be brought in to provide information and support to the family and Primary Provider. At this time, joint visits are authorized to occur at a certain frequency in the IFSP. The Supporting and Primary Providers will need to communicate prior to any joint visits so that there is a clear understanding of the needs of the family and what should be accomplished during that particular joint visit. The Supporting Provider then takes the lead during that particular joint visit to coach the family and primary on any strategies or ideas to incorporate into the family's routine.
So, if they're not core members, how do supports from nutrition, hearing specialists, vision specialists, ABA, social work, etc. work in this model?
When the IFSP team determines a need to bring in a Specialty/Ancillary provider, the goal is that they would still follow the principles of the First Steps philosophy which is building the family capacity to help their child or children learn. This should be accomplished by providing the family with ideas and strategies that are realistic and fit within their daily routines. There should also be opportunities for the Primary Provider to communicate with or even observe visits with Specialty Providers to increase the level of follow through.
What do we need to do to prepare for these monthly EIT meetings? Is there extra work involved?
FSCs will be responsible for scheduling and gathering topics for discussion at the monthly meetings. These meetings should be scheduled on a consistent date, time, and location as to help with overall attendance. Within a week before the meeting, it will be the Primary Providers' responsibility to notify the FSC of any children/families to be on the agenda at the meeting. All providers will still be required to enter progress notes for any child they are authorized to visit. This is helpful in the process of measuring progress, EIT meeting planning, and is also a requirement on the MOU.
When will Early Intervention Teaming begin in St. Louis and how will referrals be made?
Early Intervention Teams were formed in St. Louis City and North St. Louis County in May of 2010. Those particular teams began taking referrals on July 1 2010. Since that date, all new referrals in St. Louis City and North County have been assigned to an EIT. The teams for St. Charles County, Central-West County, and Southwest County have been formed and will begin taking all new referrals in their areas shortly after January 1, 2011. Once those teams begin taking referrals, all new referrals for the St. Louis Area will be assigned to teams.
Referrals will continue to be assigned daily directly via the SPOE to individual Family Service Coordinators. Following intake, the FSC will contact a provider from their EIT to complete the DAYC as part of eligibility or a needs assessment for IFSP planning.
Who attends the monthly EIT Meetings?
All core members (FSC, OT, PT, SI, ST) must attend their designated EIT monthly meetings in person, or via conference call, on occasion, when not able to be there in person. Ancillary or Specialty providers (Social Work, Nutrition, Hearing, Vision, ABA, etc) are able to attend the monthly meetings but this must be an IFSP team decision and they can only attend the meeting for the time allotted to discuss the child/family they are working with. Family members do not attend the EIT meetings. Core EIT members (except FSCs) will be paid for the time they attend the monthly EIT meetings through a new direct pay process in WebSPOE- no authorizations or claims will be needed. Specialty/Ancillary members will be paid to attend the EIT meeting via the current authorization/claims process. In order to be paid for attending an EIT meeting, non-core members will have to be authorized via the IFSP.
Do I need to attend the monthly meeting if I don't have any children/families to discuss?
Yes, as part of the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) that every St. Louis Area EIT member signs, attendance at EIT meetings is mandatory. There are exceptions made for unforeseen circumstances, but otherwise this is a requirement to be on an EIT. In addition to discussing children on your caseload, part of the role of the EIT is to provide support and feedback for the rest of your team members. The discussion at the monthly EIT meetings should involve all team members as this is the best way to share ideas and draw upon each others strengths and experiences. This type of consultation is what makes the EIT model unique as a way to enhance the supports the families actually receive. All core members will be reimbursed for the time they attend the meeting regardless of whether they have children on the agenda to be discussed.
Who decides who will be the Primary Provider? Who makes other service decisions?
The initial IFSP team decides what supports will be needed to support the family in achieving their outcomes. The IFSP team includes the family. In the process of determining the IFSP supports, the team also designates one of the providers as the primary. The specific IFSP team for a family makes all service decisions in the context of IFSP meetings. The larger EIT group does not make these types of decisions. At any time, any member of the EIT could be approached to serve the role of a Primary or Supporting Provider. The frequency of visits for any provider is individualized and determined by the IFSP team based on the unique needs of each family.
What is the role of the Primary Provider?
Primary Providers are responsible for establishing a consistent relationship with the family. Communication and trust are very important in helping families and children achieve their outcomes. The role of Primary is important because they are the main person that the family will see on a frequent basis. Primary Providers will be there during all joint visits from other EIT members- taking in information, helping to ask questions, assisting the supporting provider with information regarding the child and family. The Primary Provider would then follow up with the family regarding what was discussed at any joint visits to see if the family had any questions or how things were going. It would then be the Primary Providers responsibility to bring any family related information to be discussed at the monthly EIT meetings and ultimately bring any ideas back to the family.
What is the role of the supporting provider or joint visitor?
Supporting providers will sometimes be brought in to provide information and support to the family and Primary Provider. At this time, joint visits are authorized to occur at a certain frequency in the IFSP. The Supporting and Primary Providers will need to communicate prior to any joint visits so that there is a clear understanding of the needs of the family and what should be accomplished during that particular joint visit. The Supporting Provider then takes the lead during that particular joint visit to coach the family and primary on any strategies or ideas to incorporate into the family's routine.
So, if they're not core members, how do supports from nutrition, hearing specialists, vision specialists, ABA, social work, etc. work in this model?
When the IFSP team determines a need to bring in a Specialty/Ancillary provider, the goal is that they would still follow the principles of the First Steps philosophy which is building the family capacity to help their child or children learn. This should be accomplished by providing the family with ideas and strategies that are realistic and fit within their daily routines. There should also be opportunities for the Primary Provider to communicate with or even observe visits with Specialty Providers to increase the level of follow through.
What do we need to do to prepare for these monthly EIT meetings? Is there extra work involved?
FSCs will be responsible for scheduling and gathering topics for discussion at the monthly meetings. These meetings should be scheduled on a consistent date, time, and location as to help with overall attendance. Within a week before the meeting, it will be the Primary Providers' responsibility to notify the FSC of any children/families to be on the agenda at the meeting. All providers will still be required to enter progress notes for any child they are authorized to visit. This is helpful in the process of measuring progress, EIT meeting planning, and is also a requirement on the MOU.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
IFSP Workshop Available for Parents
MPACT
presents
Understanding the IFSP Process
Saturday, December 4, 2010
10am-12pm
The Moog Center for Deaf Education
12300 South Forty Drive
St. Louis, MO 63141
This workshop helps families of children in the First Steps program or in the process of being evaluated for early intervention understand the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) process and how to be an effective team member.
To register, call Ann Stackle
636-349-3212 or 877-349-3212
or email Ann - astackle@ptimpact.org
Although walk-ins are welcome, registering assures the availability of
adequate seating and materials to participate.
In the event of cancellation, only registered parties will be contacted.
MPACT is Missouri’s statewide Parent Training and Information Center serving all disabilities. MPACT’s mission is to ensure that all children with special needs receive an education that allows them to achieve their personal goals. MPACT assists parents to effectively advocate for their children’s educational rights and services.
Missouri Parents Act * 8301 State Line Rd * Suite 204 * Kansas City, MO 64114 * 800-743-7634 * www.ptimpact.org
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
New Autism Training is available online!
2nd Autism Training Module Now Available!
We are pleased to announce the availability of the 2nd online autism training module entitled Autism Spectrum Disorders: Screening and Referral. This module is available through the MU Extension website: https://extweb.missouri.edu/courses. Everyone completing the online module will be able to print a certificate of completion. These modules are available in DVD format for training professionals who do not have access to high speed internet by completing the DVD order form on the MU Thompson Center website http://thompsoncenter.missouri.edu/training/index.php.
What is the Screening and Referral training module?
This module focuses on screening for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It also describes the next steps if referral for further evaluation is needed. Health care providers, childcare providers, school personnel, family members, and others who interact with young children are encouraged to take this training module to learn more about this process.
The first training module, Understanding Autism, also continues to be available through the MU extension website.
What is the Understanding Autism training module?
This module is an overview of the characteristics of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and the criteria used to diagnose children with ASD. Family members, childcare providers, school personnel and others who interact with young children are encouraged to take this training module to learn more about the signs of ASD.
Who developed these training modules?
The autism training modules were developed by the Mid-Missouri Rapid Response Initiative, a project funded by the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Division of Developmental Disabilities. The online versions of the modules were created through a partnership with the MU Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Missouri Extension, and the Division of Developmental Disabilities Office of Autism Services.
If you have any difficulty logging into this module, contact Robin Wilcox at wilcoxr@missouri.edu or 573-884-7730.
Sincerely,
Mary Clark, RN, MPH
Senior Health Program Specialist
Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
300 Portland Street
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: 573-882-5711
Fax: 573-884-0405
Email: clarkmj@health.missouri.edu
We are pleased to announce the availability of the 2nd online autism training module entitled Autism Spectrum Disorders: Screening and Referral. This module is available through the MU Extension website: https://extweb.missouri.edu/courses. Everyone completing the online module will be able to print a certificate of completion. These modules are available in DVD format for training professionals who do not have access to high speed internet by completing the DVD order form on the MU Thompson Center website http://thompsoncenter.missouri.edu/training/index.php.
What is the Screening and Referral training module?
This module focuses on screening for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It also describes the next steps if referral for further evaluation is needed. Health care providers, childcare providers, school personnel, family members, and others who interact with young children are encouraged to take this training module to learn more about this process.
The first training module, Understanding Autism, also continues to be available through the MU extension website.
What is the Understanding Autism training module?
This module is an overview of the characteristics of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and the criteria used to diagnose children with ASD. Family members, childcare providers, school personnel and others who interact with young children are encouraged to take this training module to learn more about the signs of ASD.
Who developed these training modules?
The autism training modules were developed by the Mid-Missouri Rapid Response Initiative, a project funded by the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Division of Developmental Disabilities. The online versions of the modules were created through a partnership with the MU Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Missouri Extension, and the Division of Developmental Disabilities Office of Autism Services.
If you have any difficulty logging into this module, contact Robin Wilcox at wilcoxr@missouri.edu or 573-884-7730.
Sincerely,
Mary Clark, RN, MPH
Senior Health Program Specialist
Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
300 Portland Street
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: 573-882-5711
Fax: 573-884-0405
Email: clarkmj@health.missouri.edu
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Announcement of EIT for St. Charles County, Central-West and Southwest St. Louis Counties
We would like to announce that we have processed through the applications and have created the next phase of initial Early Intervention Teams that will begin taking new referrals in St. Charles County, Central-West, and Southwest St. Louis County. We anticipate that these teams would begin taking all of the referrals in their designated areas sometime after the beginning of the new year. Each team consists of at least 2 Family Service Coordinators and at least 3 providers from each of the disciplines (OT, SI, ST, PT):
St. Charles Team A:
FSCs- Kristen Gentilini, Sarah Courtright
ST- Beth Sanders, Melissa Niemeyer, Susan Levasseur, Christine Grierson, Jamie Zimmerman, Merida Frank
OT- Jennifer Gandolfo, Julie Clark, Kathy Altman Mason, Emily Bettis
PT- Toni Kalish, Lisa Wilson, Ashley Gagel
SI- Stacey Altrup, Kelly Hantak, Sasha Lively, Karen Finnegan
St. Charles Team B:
FSCs- Cassie Geithman, Stephanie Hansen, Becky Grieshaber
ST-Jaimie Poston, Christine Ciaravino, Richi Peer, Melanie Yates, Jenni Melchert, Chris Edwards Davis, Kim Goldon, Denelle Hoerner-Whitlach
OT- Carla Douglas, Nina Matuszewski, Sarah Daleo, Marsha Weisel, Ashley Gooldy, Jamie Gehrin
PT- Deb Call, Paula Sieve, Shelley Van Doren, Chris Gartner, Christy White
SI- Jill Brew, Sara Chinnock, Jamie Dubray, Sarah Patton
St. Charles Team C:
FSCs- Emily Lebeau, Courtney Schaffner
ST- Karena Romstad, Julie Vachalek, Torri Waltz, Andrea Crislip, Larissa McPherson, Karen Fitzpatrick, Shannon Ruwe
OT- Trisha Locher, Sue Velders, Amanda Troillett, Marianne Belke
PT- Lori Meinert, Angela Pagano, Melissa Johnson
SI- Tiffany Davison, Katie West, Tricia Paschke, Kelly Bethel
Central-West County Team A:
FSCs- Elieen Baker, Julie Fluharty
SI- Donna Parr, Jennifer Duffy, Kim Minkler, Allison LaMont, Sarah Patton
PT- Kate Critchfield, Kelly Wooldridge, Nancy Kramer, Christine Scheman
ST- Jayme Fingerman, Rebecca Goldman, Courtney Brawner, Mandy Sangha, Denelle Hoerner-Whitlatch, Ann Marie Abdulrauf
OT- Stephanie Konradi, Desiree Cheney, Tracy Coleman, Tina Preston
Central-West County Team B:
FSCs- Noreen Conte, Beth Reynolds, Tamika Coats
SI- Lisa Trimble, Susan Kaznika, Amber Sobery, Jeri Neuman, April Curtis
PT- Rhonda Schmid, Peggy Jacobs, Belinda Barrett, Tina Shapiro
ST- Nancy Murphy, Sarah McDermott, Courtney Bennett, Erin Smith, Susan Levasseur, Sue Conklin, Laura Carroll, Alison Freiburg
OT- Ashley Schneider, Marsha Weisel, Liz Gallagher, Beth Shaffer, Ashley Gooldy
Southwest County Team A:
FSCs- Chris Elwood, Lisa Greenberg
SI- Diane Marchiando, Jennifer Miller, Jessica Elder, Lisa Trimble
PT- Karen Wild, Monica Steiner, Christine Scheman
ST- Kelley Farrell, Mary Morrow, Melissa Huse, Shireen Kinzy, Jill Barker, Colleen Davis
OT- Ursula Hayward, Mindy Beithman, Michele Zimmerman, Olivia Kernebeck
Southwest County Team B:
FSCs- Sarah Hoven, Jodi Phillips, Ashley Wunsch
SI- MaryBeth Krull, Andrea Boeser, Mary Ann McDonough, Kim Minkler, Julie Korenak
PT- Angela Stork, Amy Mohan, Belinda Barrett, Ashley Gagel, Julie Drafall
ST- Laura Eichholz, Sally Evans, Cynthia Gibbs, Lara Darner, Sara Sieker, Kelly Gossrau, Jenny Schmidt
OT- Kelly Fischer, Molly Hunter, Jenny Allen, Jessica Behrends, Lauren Bucher, Hannah Albro, Ellen Venturella-Wilson
Again, we are very excited about this next phase in our process and look forward to moving on with the Early Intervention Teaming Model in the St. Louis Area. As we proceed, we will continuously examine all of our teams in Regions 1 & 2 to make sure that we have adequate coverage and families have access to the supports available through the program. This could involve adding members as needed. In the event we need to add new members, we will either review applications already received and/or solicit for more via our online application process.
Thank you and we will continue to keep you updated!
St. Charles Team A:
FSCs- Kristen Gentilini, Sarah Courtright
ST- Beth Sanders, Melissa Niemeyer, Susan Levasseur, Christine Grierson, Jamie Zimmerman, Merida Frank
OT- Jennifer Gandolfo, Julie Clark, Kathy Altman Mason, Emily Bettis
PT- Toni Kalish, Lisa Wilson, Ashley Gagel
SI- Stacey Altrup, Kelly Hantak, Sasha Lively, Karen Finnegan
St. Charles Team B:
FSCs- Cassie Geithman, Stephanie Hansen, Becky Grieshaber
ST-Jaimie Poston, Christine Ciaravino, Richi Peer, Melanie Yates, Jenni Melchert, Chris Edwards Davis, Kim Goldon, Denelle Hoerner-Whitlach
OT- Carla Douglas, Nina Matuszewski, Sarah Daleo, Marsha Weisel, Ashley Gooldy, Jamie Gehrin
PT- Deb Call, Paula Sieve, Shelley Van Doren, Chris Gartner, Christy White
SI- Jill Brew, Sara Chinnock, Jamie Dubray, Sarah Patton
St. Charles Team C:
FSCs- Emily Lebeau, Courtney Schaffner
ST- Karena Romstad, Julie Vachalek, Torri Waltz, Andrea Crislip, Larissa McPherson, Karen Fitzpatrick, Shannon Ruwe
OT- Trisha Locher, Sue Velders, Amanda Troillett, Marianne Belke
PT- Lori Meinert, Angela Pagano, Melissa Johnson
SI- Tiffany Davison, Katie West, Tricia Paschke, Kelly Bethel
Central-West County Team A:
FSCs- Elieen Baker, Julie Fluharty
SI- Donna Parr, Jennifer Duffy, Kim Minkler, Allison LaMont, Sarah Patton
PT- Kate Critchfield, Kelly Wooldridge, Nancy Kramer, Christine Scheman
ST- Jayme Fingerman, Rebecca Goldman, Courtney Brawner, Mandy Sangha, Denelle Hoerner-Whitlatch, Ann Marie Abdulrauf
OT- Stephanie Konradi, Desiree Cheney, Tracy Coleman, Tina Preston
Central-West County Team B:
FSCs- Noreen Conte, Beth Reynolds, Tamika Coats
SI- Lisa Trimble, Susan Kaznika, Amber Sobery, Jeri Neuman, April Curtis
PT- Rhonda Schmid, Peggy Jacobs, Belinda Barrett, Tina Shapiro
ST- Nancy Murphy, Sarah McDermott, Courtney Bennett, Erin Smith, Susan Levasseur, Sue Conklin, Laura Carroll, Alison Freiburg
OT- Ashley Schneider, Marsha Weisel, Liz Gallagher, Beth Shaffer, Ashley Gooldy
Southwest County Team A:
FSCs- Chris Elwood, Lisa Greenberg
SI- Diane Marchiando, Jennifer Miller, Jessica Elder, Lisa Trimble
PT- Karen Wild, Monica Steiner, Christine Scheman
ST- Kelley Farrell, Mary Morrow, Melissa Huse, Shireen Kinzy, Jill Barker, Colleen Davis
OT- Ursula Hayward, Mindy Beithman, Michele Zimmerman, Olivia Kernebeck
Southwest County Team B:
FSCs- Sarah Hoven, Jodi Phillips, Ashley Wunsch
SI- MaryBeth Krull, Andrea Boeser, Mary Ann McDonough, Kim Minkler, Julie Korenak
PT- Angela Stork, Amy Mohan, Belinda Barrett, Ashley Gagel, Julie Drafall
ST- Laura Eichholz, Sally Evans, Cynthia Gibbs, Lara Darner, Sara Sieker, Kelly Gossrau, Jenny Schmidt
OT- Kelly Fischer, Molly Hunter, Jenny Allen, Jessica Behrends, Lauren Bucher, Hannah Albro, Ellen Venturella-Wilson
Again, we are very excited about this next phase in our process and look forward to moving on with the Early Intervention Teaming Model in the St. Louis Area. As we proceed, we will continuously examine all of our teams in Regions 1 & 2 to make sure that we have adequate coverage and families have access to the supports available through the program. This could involve adding members as needed. In the event we need to add new members, we will either review applications already received and/or solicit for more via our online application process.
Thank you and we will continue to keep you updated!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Join The SPOE for the Autism Walk on October 9th!!!!
Team First Steps is signed up for the autism walk on October 9 in Forest Park! If you are interested in coming along on the walk, you can register for our team by searching for our team name (St. Louis Area First Steps) or going to this website
www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/stlouis/firststepsstl
www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/stlouis/firststepsstl
Friday, August 13, 2010
Public Notice to PARS and Trainer Registry members about the Kansas and Missouri Core Competenices for Early Childhood Professionals Revision Process
This message is being shared from the SPOE:
The early care and education bi-state Core Competencies were published in January 2001 after an extensive development process in both states. Broad-based dissemination of the document has been achieved and the Core Competencies document serves as a foundation piece for system-level planning in both states. As advancements in the field are made, we must ensure that the competencies adequately represent all of the important knowledge and skills necessary to provide high quality early learning. To that end, the OPEN Initiative (MO) and Child Care Aware (KS) (formerly KACCRRA) have partnered to revise the Core Competencies and prepare a Second Edition.
Request for Your Participation in the Revision Process
To date, we have completed the first three of five stages of the revision process and are requesting additional feedback from early childhood and other professionals in both states on the revised document.
We invite you to participate by providing feedback through the following survey link.
www.surveymonkey.com/s/GYWGGKM
The survey will be available through August 31, 2010. Please forward the survey link to your colleagues and associates to ensure that your program and/or community are adequately represented in the Core Competency for Early Childhood Professionals revision process.
Revision Process
2. Specialized Content Meetings(February – May 2010)
3. Bi-State Committee Review (June 2010)
4. General Feedback Period (August 2010)
5. Bi-State Committee Finalizes Content (Fall 2010)
Michelle Mathews, Ph.D., Core Competency Consultant
M & T Educational Consulting, Inc.
3855 Hartford Street
St. Louis, MO 63116
The early care and education bi-state Core Competencies were published in January 2001 after an extensive development process in both states. Broad-based dissemination of the document has been achieved and the Core Competencies document serves as a foundation piece for system-level planning in both states. As advancements in the field are made, we must ensure that the competencies adequately represent all of the important knowledge and skills necessary to provide high quality early learning. To that end, the OPEN Initiative (MO) and Child Care Aware (KS) (formerly KACCRRA) have partnered to revise the Core Competencies and prepare a Second Edition.
Request for Your Participation in the Revision Process
To date, we have completed the first three of five stages of the revision process and are requesting additional feedback from early childhood and other professionals in both states on the revised document.
We invite you to participate by providing feedback through the following survey link.
www.surveymonkey.com/s/GYWGGKM
The survey will be available through August 31, 2010. Please forward the survey link to your colleagues and associates to ensure that your program and/or community are adequately represented in the Core Competency for Early Childhood Professionals revision process.
Revision Process
- General Feedback Period (February – May 2010)
- Web-Based Survey
- Paper Comments
- 3 General Meetings
2. Specialized Content Meetings(February – May 2010)
- Supporting and Strengthening Families
- Physical Health, Oral Health, and Nutrition
- Mental Health
- Inclusion/Special Needs
- Technology/Professional Development
3. Bi-State Committee Review (June 2010)
- Review suggested revisions, deletions, and additions
- Finalize draft for review by stakeholders in KS and MO
4. General Feedback Period (August 2010)
- Web-based survey
- Written comments
5. Bi-State Committee Finalizes Content (Fall 2010)
- Review feedback from stakeholders
- Finalize document
Michelle Mathews, Ph.D., Core Competency Consultant
M & T Educational Consulting, Inc.
3855 Hartford Street
St. Louis, MO 63116
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
St. Louis Area EIT Zone Updated Maps (St. Charles Added)
In order to assist with the process of developing teams, we'd like to share the current map showing the EIT zone areas for St. Louis City, North County, Central-West County, and South-West County. These are tentative maps as we may need to make changes at any time based on referrals, staffing, etc. However, at this time, this is what Regions 1 & 2 are using as guidelines for the set up of teams.
The above map is of St. Louis City St. Louis County. St. Louis City is defined by the natural borders of the city. Any teams assigned to St. Louis City will need to be able to take referrals within the entirety of the city boundaries. North County is the area of the map north/west of the green and blue lines. Central-West is the area of the map south of the green line and north of the red line (Manchester Rd.). South-West is the area south of the red line.
 |
At this point, we are looking at dividing St. Charles County based roughly on the existing school district divisions. The divisions may be different than on the map based on referral numbers and balancing population.
Please click on the maps for a detailed view
As we have more information, we will pass it along.
Thank you!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
New EIT Applications for St. Louis Area SPOE
We would like to announce that the applications for St. Charles County, Central-West County, South-West County are now available on line.
The applications for St. Charles County, Central-West County, South-West County are available via the following links:
Click here to apply for St. Charles County
Click here to apply for Central-West or South-West County
In addition to these, we have re-opened the St. Louis City and North County applications which can be accessed by following this link:
Click here to apply for St. Louis City and/or North St. Louis County
These applications are only available online and we will be accepting applications starting today, August 4, through Thursday September 30 at 4pm CT.
The applications for St. Charles County, Central-West County, South-West County are available via the following links:
Click here to apply for St. Charles County
Click here to apply for Central-West or South-West County
In addition to these, we have re-opened the St. Louis City and North County applications which can be accessed by following this link:
Click here to apply for St. Louis City and/or North St. Louis County
These applications are only available online and we will be accepting applications starting today, August 4, through Thursday September 30 at 4pm CT.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Survey for Early Intervention Providers
We are forwarding the following request from Child and Family Studies Research Programs at Thomas Jefferson University. Please take a moment to provide your responses for this survey:
Dear Early Intervention Providers,
We are conducting a survey to better understand early intervention providers' perspectives on teaching caregivers during early intervention visits. Effectively teaching caregivers is a critical component of family-centered recommended practice. However, there is little research in this area.
If you provide early intervention services to children birth to three, we ask to please give us your valuable perspective on teaching caregivers.
The survey should take 20 minutes or less to complete, and results may help identify strategies that may make teaching less challenging. Additionally, you will be eligible to win a gift card in the amount of $50 or $100.
Here is a link to the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/339B63V
Thanks for your consideration!
Brook Sawyer, Ph.D.
Child and Family Studies Research Programs Thomas Jefferson University
130 South 9th Street, 5th floor Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-503-1626
215-503-1640 (fax)
Dear Early Intervention Providers,
We are conducting a survey to better understand early intervention providers' perspectives on teaching caregivers during early intervention visits. Effectively teaching caregivers is a critical component of family-centered recommended practice. However, there is little research in this area.
If you provide early intervention services to children birth to three, we ask to please give us your valuable perspective on teaching caregivers.
The survey should take 20 minutes or less to complete, and results may help identify strategies that may make teaching less challenging. Additionally, you will be eligible to win a gift card in the amount of $50 or $100.
Here is a link to the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/339B63V
Thanks for your consideration!
Brook Sawyer, Ph.D.
Child and Family Studies Research Programs Thomas Jefferson University
130 South 9th Street, 5th floor Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-503-1626
215-503-1640 (fax)
Friday, July 9, 2010
Invitation from Provider Relations Committee
To Providers, Service Coordinators, and Community Affiliates,
We would like to cordially invite you to participate in the Provider Relations Committee, a subcommittee of the EIC. The Provider Relations Committee (PRC) is really just getting started, and we need help and input! Our overall goal is to enhance the relationship between current providers and Service Coordinators, and we need your help in determining the best way to do it.
The purpose of the PRC is multi-faceted:
To assist the SPOE in seeking ways to help improve their provider practices in the community to enhance effective education for providers through mentoring and monitoring.
To recommend ideas, methods, and plans to retain current service providers.
To communicates with the SPOE to address provider concerns, suggestions and deficits.
To assist the SPOE in identifying, locating and recruiting potential First Steps service providers (therapists, social workers, counselors, special instructors, etc.) needed for specific geographical areas within the service delivery area.
The next PRC meeting is scheduled for Friday, July 16, 2010 at 12:30pm at the SPOE office (1215 Fern Ridge Parkway, Ste. 101, 63141). The agenda for this meeting will focus on brainstorming ideas to address the above-listed goals. For example, the PRC has already discussed with Howard and Ashlie the possibility of using the blog as a vehicle for better communication with providers. We also discussed developing a PowerPoint presentation that can be used for training providers, especially new ones. Other ideas included developing a mentoring system, or at least a "new provider packet" of some sorts to help new providers acclimate to the system, and know where to turn for help.
Please contact Cassie Geithman at 314-973-7489 or cgeithman@awsusa.com OR Karen Wild at 1-866-495-5437 or kids@lormaxrehab.com.
Hope to see you there!
Cassie Geithman and Karen Wild
Co-Chairs of the PRC
Thursday, July 1, 2010
1 Year Anniversary for St. Louis Area SPOE
July 1 2010 marks the 1 year anniversary of AWS as the contractor for the St. Louis Area SPOE. We have been very busy over the past 12 months adjusting to changes and working with the community to ensure that we are continuing to provide supports to the families we serve. As we venture into the second year of our contract, we'd like to take a moment to look back at the last year as well as look forward to more successes and opportunities to improve the role we play in the lives of families.
Since July 1, 2009 we have:
Since July 1, 2009 we have:
- Established 1 central SPOE office that accepts referrals and provides service coordination for the entire St. Louis Metropolitan Area
- Transitioned our Family Service Coordinators to working in the community from their home offices
- Begun the implementation of Early Intervention Teams by creating a pilot team for St. Louis City in Dec. 2009 while continuing the pilot for St. Louis County. In addition to the pilots, held numerous EIT Workgroup meetings throughout the metropolitan area where we shared details regarding our plan to implement EIT in the area and gathered input from a variety of stakeholders
- With consent from both committees, successfully combined the local RICC's for Region 1 and Region 2 into 1 unified group
- Obtained a perfect 4 rating for both SPOE Regions from the state based on criteria set by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in regards to meeting timelines and accuracy of data.
- As a final step to moving forward with the state's plan for EIT in Missouri, obtained final approval of our EIT plan from DESE
It has been a very exciting year and we look to continue our momentum with goals we have ahead of us:
- Implementing the next phase of Early Intervention Teams in the metro area
- Continuing our efforts to establish and improve our relationships with community partners and First Steps referral sources
- Continue to meet the standards set forth by DESE and OSEP regarding SPOE performance standards
- Insist on providing quality supports that aim to build family confidence and their capacity to meet their own individualized goals
Thank you, and we look forward to another year working together!
Monday, June 21, 2010
***UPDATED FIRST STEPS AT GUIDANCE***
Please be aware that DESE has updated the First Steps process for authorizing and obtaining Assistive Tech and Adaptive Equipment devices. Please read below and follow the link to review this guidance. The St. Louis Area SPOE will begin following this procedure immediately as we will be informing our Service Coordination staff as well as the rest of the provider community. If you should have any questions, please contact the SPOE office at the information below.
Highlights of new guidance:
*Verifying need for 3 bids for non-customized equipment obtained by SPOE
*New Form for Family Service Coordinators to submit to SPOE for processing
*Verification of ownership: Family owns the equipment if they have given FS consent to bill private insurance
FS owns the equipment if family has not given consent to bill private insurance or if the family is covered under public insurance (i.e. MO HealthNet)
Message To: Service Coordinators and Service Providers
From: Pam Thomas, Coordinator of the First Steps program
Date: June 14, 2010
There were several new or revised documents posted to the First Steps website today related to Assistive Technology (AT) in First Steps.Topics include AT services and resources, IFSP discussions about AT, and frequently asked Questions and Answers. These documents can be viewed on the First Steps website at:
http://www.dese.mo.gov/divspeced/FirstSteps/AssistTech.htm
Highlights of new guidance:
*Verifying need for 3 bids for non-customized equipment obtained by SPOE
*New Form for Family Service Coordinators to submit to SPOE for processing
*Verification of ownership: Family owns the equipment if they have given FS consent to bill private insurance
FS owns the equipment if family has not given consent to bill private insurance or if the family is covered under public insurance (i.e. MO HealthNet)
Message To: Service Coordinators and Service Providers
From: Pam Thomas, Coordinator of the First Steps program
Date: June 14, 2010
There were several new or revised documents posted to the First Steps website today related to Assistive Technology (AT) in First Steps.Topics include AT services and resources, IFSP discussions about AT, and frequently asked Questions and Answers. These documents can be viewed on the First Steps website at:
http://www.dese.mo.gov/divspeced/FirstSteps/AssistTech.htm
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Announcement of Early Intervention Teams for St. Louis City and North County
We would like to announce that we have processed through our applications and have created the initial Early Intervention Teams that will begin taking new referrals in St. Louis City and North St. Louis County as soon as July 1, 2010. We have created 3 teams for each area consisting of at least 2 Family Service Coordinators and at least 3 providers from each of the disciplines (OT, SI, ST, PT):
City Team A:
Family Service Coordinators- Amy Morff, Jo Wiggins
ST- Julie Kizer, Regina Winkler, Amanda Wingertsahn, Ashley Hinds
PT- Amy Mohan, Janet Schamp, Adele Gherardini
SI- Staci Landuyt, Tina Trueblood, Virginia Franklin, Kate Hannon, Tina Bayers
OT- Ellen Dresbach, Laura Hotz, Mary Rice, Renee Doll
City Team B:
FSC- Heather Morelan, Mary McDevitt,Becca Courtney
ST- Kelly M. Harris, Julie Reimer, Angela Adrian, Carol Carlberg, Rasheedah Furqan
PT- Kayla Turner, Grace Hagen, Chris Lloyd
SI- Michele Pusateri, Patty Budler-Little, Amy Grothoff, April Curtis, Chris Schmidt
OT- Ruth Farel, Beth Shaffer, Julie Grana, Maja Gruden, Darci Garavaglia, Brandee Zahner
City Team C:
FSC- Erin Maloney, Torri Halbert
ST- Deb Berry, Colleen Davis, Emily Lucas, Shannon Schumacher
PT- Catherine Barinek, Sarah Robinson, Nicole Womack
SI- Claire Brown, Amy McKay, Mary Flood, Theresa Strothkamp
OT- Margaret Russell, Ashley Richardet, Kimberly Stocker, Ellen Venturella-Wilson, Tracie Hope
North County Team A:
FSC- Ruth Nothdurft, Juli Darlington
ST- Curtis Gunn, Melanie SanMiguel, Carla Grundy, Claudia Orf
PT- Kelly Wooldridge, Karey Schwetz, Kayla Turner
SI- Staci Landuyt, Mary Flood, Kate Hannon, Amy Grothoff
OT- Erin Rogaczewski, Beth Schaffer, Ashley Richardet, Marianne Belke
North County Team B:
FSC- Donna Ward, Christy Hooker
ST- Irene Buckalew, Shannon Schumacher, Lisa McNiff, Abby Briggs
PT- Marguerite Jacobs, Catherine Ranger, Mary Curran
SI- Leslie Hernandez, Claire Brown, Theresa Strothkamp
OT- Renee Doll, Maja Gruden, Kim Stocker, Mary Rice, Teddie Genter
North County Team C:
FSC- Tess Gaeng, Katrina Ringo
ST- Melissa Garrett, Karen Fernandez Salvador, Sarah Kirchoff, Ashley Hinds, Kathy Lowrey
PT- Deanna Walter, Julie Drafall
SI- Elaine Miazga, Tina Bayers, Amy McKay, Barbara Willingham
OT- Nicole Lanius, Laura Hotz, Tracie Hope, Margaret Russell
We are very excited about this phase in our process and look forward to moving on with the Early Intervention Teaming Model in the St. Louis Area. As we proceed, we will continuously examine our teams to make sure that we have adequate coverage and families have access to the supports available through the program. This could involve adding members as needed. In the event we need to add new members, we will either review applications already received and/or solicit for more via our online application process.
Thank you and we will continue to keep you updated!
City Team A:
Family Service Coordinators- Amy Morff, Jo Wiggins
ST- Julie Kizer, Regina Winkler, Amanda Wingertsahn, Ashley Hinds
PT- Amy Mohan, Janet Schamp, Adele Gherardini
SI- Staci Landuyt, Tina Trueblood, Virginia Franklin, Kate Hannon, Tina Bayers
OT- Ellen Dresbach, Laura Hotz, Mary Rice, Renee Doll
City Team B:
FSC- Heather Morelan, Mary McDevitt,Becca Courtney
ST- Kelly M. Harris, Julie Reimer, Angela Adrian, Carol Carlberg, Rasheedah Furqan
PT- Kayla Turner, Grace Hagen, Chris Lloyd
SI- Michele Pusateri, Patty Budler-Little, Amy Grothoff, April Curtis, Chris Schmidt
OT- Ruth Farel, Beth Shaffer, Julie Grana, Maja Gruden, Darci Garavaglia, Brandee Zahner
City Team C:
FSC- Erin Maloney, Torri Halbert
ST- Deb Berry, Colleen Davis, Emily Lucas, Shannon Schumacher
PT- Catherine Barinek, Sarah Robinson, Nicole Womack
SI- Claire Brown, Amy McKay, Mary Flood, Theresa Strothkamp
OT- Margaret Russell, Ashley Richardet, Kimberly Stocker, Ellen Venturella-Wilson, Tracie Hope
North County Team A:
FSC- Ruth Nothdurft, Juli Darlington
ST- Curtis Gunn, Melanie SanMiguel, Carla Grundy, Claudia Orf
PT- Kelly Wooldridge, Karey Schwetz, Kayla Turner
SI- Staci Landuyt, Mary Flood, Kate Hannon, Amy Grothoff
OT- Erin Rogaczewski, Beth Schaffer, Ashley Richardet, Marianne Belke
North County Team B:
FSC- Donna Ward, Christy Hooker
ST- Irene Buckalew, Shannon Schumacher, Lisa McNiff, Abby Briggs
PT- Marguerite Jacobs, Catherine Ranger, Mary Curran
SI- Leslie Hernandez, Claire Brown, Theresa Strothkamp
OT- Renee Doll, Maja Gruden, Kim Stocker, Mary Rice, Teddie Genter
North County Team C:
FSC- Tess Gaeng, Katrina Ringo
ST- Melissa Garrett, Karen Fernandez Salvador, Sarah Kirchoff, Ashley Hinds, Kathy Lowrey
PT- Deanna Walter, Julie Drafall
SI- Elaine Miazga, Tina Bayers, Amy McKay, Barbara Willingham
OT- Nicole Lanius, Laura Hotz, Tracie Hope, Margaret Russell
We are very excited about this phase in our process and look forward to moving on with the Early Intervention Teaming Model in the St. Louis Area. As we proceed, we will continuously examine our teams to make sure that we have adequate coverage and families have access to the supports available through the program. This could involve adding members as needed. In the event we need to add new members, we will either review applications already received and/or solicit for more via our online application process.
Thank you and we will continue to keep you updated!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
New EIT Survey- We want your Questions & Comments!
Please take a moment to complete a short survey with questions and comments related to Early Intervention Teaming. We hope to be able to collect topics/comments of interest and address them in an upcoming EIT Forum.
Click here to take survey
This survey will be available now through 4pm on Monday May 17, 2010.
Click here to take survey
This survey will be available now through 4pm on Monday May 17, 2010.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Quality Needs Assessment Reporting
Quality NEEDS ASSESSMENT Reporting Criteria
NEEDS ASSESSMENT reports serve a main purpose in the First Steps program:
to assist with IFSP planning.
A NEEDS ASSESSMENT can be requested prior to the initial IFSP meeting or any other IFSP meeting. Typically, NEEDS ASSESSMENTS should be INFORMAL meaning that they will not involve a domain-specific tool or scores. Sometimes, a NEEDS ASSESSMENT may be formal and involve scores. Either way, a NEEDS ASSESSMENT should be a gathering of additional information that is needed to assist the IFSP team with developing/reviewing the IFSP. Service Coordinators may have a list of specific questions that need to be answered as a result of the NEEDS ASSESSMENT. It is expected that if questions are asked that they will be answered by the provider in the NEEDS ASSESSMENT report so that the information can be used for IFSP Planning.
Because NEEDS ASSESSMENTS are requested when more information is needed for IFSP planning, each assessment is unique and individualized based on what is going on for each child and family. There is no standard form or template for the report, but the criteria listed below should be considered so that quality reports are generated. A NEEDS ASSESSMENT may NOT always be needed, but if the IFSP team needs more information for IFSP planning, the service coordinator may request an assessment. It is the SC who makes the request for a NEEDS ASSESSMENT via a “Provider Service Request Form,” not a provider. If the report mentions why the assessment was requested and who requested it, the report should explain that more information was needed in a specific area for IFSP planning and that the SC made the request.
A copy of the report should be given to the family, so it is important to use family-friendly language that is easy to understand and not offensive or harsh. If a provider has specific concerns and/or impressions/opinions about what they saw during the assessment, those thoughts should be shared with the Family Service Coordinator outside of the assessment report. For example, words like “atypical,” “significant,” and “abnormal” can be alarming to families. When NEEDS ASSESSMENT reports are written and reviewed, we should be considering the audience and writing them knowing that parents will read them. We should keep in mind the feelings of our parents when writing the reports and consider what words would be helpful and hurtful. Instead of saying “Jimmie has significant regression with feeding skills that are atypical for his development and this continued pattern is sure to impact him negatively,” you could say “Jimmie used to eat some solid foods with his family but will now only take a bottle. His parents are concerned because he is 12 months old and they would like him to be eating some of their family meals with them.”
Any assessment protocols that are used/considered can be discussed in a summary section of the report but should be written in a way that families will understand. For example, families may not understand all of the jargon involved with sensory profiles, so that needs to be written in a way that is very easy to understand. If the SPOE receives a NEEDS ASSESSMENT report that is not of quality standards or is questionable, the service coordinator will contact the provider and have a discussion about changes that need to be made. It is our expectation that the need to return a report to a provider for changes will be rare after this NEEDS ASSESSMENT Reporting Criteria has been shared with providers. We are expecting high quality reports with rich, individualized family friendly detail!
NEEDS ASSESSMENT protocols and/or notes should be submitted to the service coordinator with the report. These should be submitted on or before the due date on the “Provider Service Request” form.
What Quality NEEDS ASSESSMENT reports should always include:
- at the top of the report: child name, DOB, age at time of assessment, date of assessment, caregivers name(s) and contact information, service coordinator, and provider name
- statements of family daily routines & how they are impacted (not just the day of the assessment)
- suggested activities that families could use immediately during their routines
- suggested resources such as books or websites are okay to include
- information specific to the individual child & family; not cut & paste or cookie cutter
- statements written in family friendly/centered language that do not emphasize the negative with "harsh" words
- detailed description of what was observed during time spent with the child and family
- quick turn around time - due date on the “Provider Service Request” Form from the SC
- likes & dislikes including motivators for the child
- fears of the child
- specific examples of skills from the parent of caregiver
- a mention if the child has had any opportunities or exposure to a specific skill/task prior to the assessment
What Quality NEEDS ASSESSMENT reports should not include:
- physical description of the child – this is not appropriate!
- language & statements that are not accurate or do not match the findings
- narrative information that is not specific to the child
- generic listings of skills & activities not specific to the particular child and family routines
- recommendations or referrals to specific physicians; it is okay to suggest follow-up with a pediatrician, but “referrals” to specialists should not be made in reports (separate conversations with families are appropriate)
- statements that list too much of what a child is "not doing"
- negative or harsh language such as "significant delay, abnormal, regression, atypical"
- spelling errors, grammatical errors (including child/parent names and child's date of birth),
- all lowercase/uppercase words
- therapeutic/clinical/medical/discipline-specific jargon
- references to "area or concern" or "area of weakness"
- recommendations for therapy, assessments, or other services – these are IFSP team decisions & should not be included in the body of a report because they suggest that First Steps will provide what is recommended which cannot be known prior to the IFSP team discussion
- scores (unless a formal assessment with scores was requested)
- if a formal assessment was implemented, do not list skills directly from the assessment protocol
Friday, March 26, 2010
St. Louis City & North County EIT Application is Available
The application for the St. Louis City and North County EIT Teams is available by clicking the following link:
Click here to access the application
The application is available online and we will be accepting applications starting today, March 26, through Friday April 16.
PLEASE NOTE: You do not need to mail in the application. Once you complete the process online by clicking "done", we will have it electronically. We will not accept them by mail.
Thank you!
Click here to access the application
The application is available online and we will be accepting applications starting today, March 26, through Friday April 16.
PLEASE NOTE: You do not need to mail in the application. Once you complete the process online by clicking "done", we will have it electronically. We will not accept them by mail.
Thank you!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
First Steps Program on STLMoms/Fox2 News
Watch the video of Rachel Morgan, Child Find Coordinator, on the STL Moms segment of FOX2 News this morning with Margie Ellisor-
Monday, March 8, 2010
Tune in to STLMoms on Tuesday March 9
Happy Monday Afternoon, Everyone!
We would recommend that you tune in to Fox 2 news tomorrow morning in the 8-830am slot to see a short segment devoted to child find for FS. Rachel Morgan, Child Find Coordinator, will be live in studio with Margie Ellisor during the Stl Moms segment to talk about the FS program!
We would recommend that you tune in to Fox 2 news tomorrow morning in the 8-830am slot to see a short segment devoted to child find for FS. Rachel Morgan, Child Find Coordinator, will be live in studio with Margie Ellisor during the Stl Moms segment to talk about the FS program!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Conference
St. John’s Mercy Medical Center
St. Louis, Missouri
Friday, April 23, 2010
$85.00 full day plus free lunch & 0.6 ASHA CEUs
Featured Speakers:
Michael Karnell, PhD, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, University of Iowa
Ross Long, DMD, MS, PhD, FACD
Orthodontist, Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic
Topics:
1) Evaluation of Velopharyngeal Dysfunction
2) Specific Speech Therapy Techniques for
Individuals with Cleft Palate & VPD
3) Collaborative Care Between the Team &
Community Speech-Language Pathologists
Plus other related topics
To receive a brochure (when available) or register,
contact Dana Kiley at http://us.mc657.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Dana.Kiley@mercy.net
or 314-251-6581
St. John’s Mercy Medical Center
St. Louis, Missouri
Friday, April 23, 2010
$85.00 full day plus free lunch & 0.6 ASHA CEUs
Featured Speakers:
Michael Karnell, PhD, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, University of Iowa
Ross Long, DMD, MS, PhD, FACD
Orthodontist, Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic
Topics:
1) Evaluation of Velopharyngeal Dysfunction
2) Specific Speech Therapy Techniques for
Individuals with Cleft Palate & VPD
3) Collaborative Care Between the Team &
Community Speech-Language Pathologists
Plus other related topics
To receive a brochure (when available) or register,
contact Dana Kiley at http://us.mc657.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Dana.Kiley@mercy.net
or 314-251-6581
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Testing Protocols
Just as a reminder, all testing protocols, including DAYC, are part of the child's official EI record and should be filed at the SPOE office. Please make sure that you are sending them in on a regular basis either by mail or in person to the SPOE Office, or giving them to the Family Service Coordinator(s). We know that many providers will "batch" them and hand deliver them to a Family Service Coordinator during an IFSP meeting or other home visit- this is fine. Also, please make sure that you are writing the child's name and DOB , along with your name and SPOE Region (St. Louis City, St. Louis County, or St. Charles County) on the front of every protocol. Below is the DESE guidance statement that relates to this process. Thank you!
Subject: Testing ProtocolsSource: Amanda Wogan, Supervisor, Compliance
Intended Audiences: SPOEs, DMH Service Coordinators, Providers, SICC
Date: 07/27/06
It has come to our attention that testing protocols do not generally accompany written reports submitted by providers who perform evaluations/assessment for First Steps.
Testing protocols are a part of the early intervention educational record under FERPA and must be maintained by the First Steps system. When providers complete an evaluation or assessment they must forward both the report and the protocol or a copy of the protocol used to generate that report to the SPOE.
Subject: Testing ProtocolsSource: Amanda Wogan, Supervisor, Compliance
Intended Audiences: SPOEs, DMH Service Coordinators, Providers, SICC
Date: 07/27/06
It has come to our attention that testing protocols do not generally accompany written reports submitted by providers who perform evaluations/assessment for First Steps.
Testing protocols are a part of the early intervention educational record under FERPA and must be maintained by the First Steps system. When providers complete an evaluation or assessment they must forward both the report and the protocol or a copy of the protocol used to generate that report to the SPOE.
DAYC Training for St. Louis City and North County Providers ONLY
This message is going out in mass to the provider base to inform you that we are planning a DAYC training for providers in North County and St. Louis City only at this time. There will be other opportunities for future DAYC trainings, but our priority at this time is St. Louis City and North County. The training will be from 1-4pm on Tuesday March 30th and the location is yet to be determined. Please RSVP to Katie Motil at the SPOE office at kmotil@awsusa.com by no later than Friday, March 19. This is the basic DAYC training provided by Marcy Morrison, Area Director. If you have already attended a previous DAYC training, then there is no need to attend this one.
Thank you-
St. Louis Area SPOE-AWS
Thank you-
St. Louis Area SPOE-AWS
Monday, March 1, 2010
St. Louis Area SPOE Announces Zones for EIT
As part of our plan for transitioning to Early Intervention Teams (EIT) in the St. Louis Area, we have carefully examined our regions to develop zones that are clear, understandable, and represent natural geographic boundaries. The following is a list of geographic zones within which teams will be formed:
St. Charles County Zone
North County Zone
St. Louis City Zone
Central Corridor Zone
South County Zone
West County Zone
Our contract with DESE states that we are responsible for making sure that at least 25% of all new referrals are being referred to an EIT by June 30, 2011. Based on referral numbers and our goal to implement EIT in areas that could help address provider shortage issues, the North County and St. Louis City zones will be the first portions of the region to start taking referrals for EIT. Shortly, we will make an application available only for those providers interested in being considered for a team in these 2 zones (North St. Louis County and St. Louis City). When we are prepared to move forward with other zones, we will make announcements for those applications at that time.
St. Charles County Zone
North County Zone
St. Louis City Zone
Central Corridor Zone
South County Zone
West County Zone
Our contract with DESE states that we are responsible for making sure that at least 25% of all new referrals are being referred to an EIT by June 30, 2011. Based on referral numbers and our goal to implement EIT in areas that could help address provider shortage issues, the North County and St. Louis City zones will be the first portions of the region to start taking referrals for EIT. Shortly, we will make an application available only for those providers interested in being considered for a team in these 2 zones (North St. Louis County and St. Louis City). When we are prepared to move forward with other zones, we will make announcements for those applications at that time.
Friday, February 19, 2010
St. Louis Area RICC Mtg
The next Early Interventions Connections meeting will be held on Friday February 26 from 9:30-11:30 at Moog.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
EIT Feedback And Comments
Continuing with our goal to provide up to date and relevant information, the following is a brief list of some of the positive feedback and comments we've heard regarding Early Intervention Teaming:
- Providers would like having the option of being able to serve on a team in either a full time or part time capacity.
- Providers support starting the EIT model in areas of the metropolitan area that are hardest to reach in terms of provider availability and referrals.
- Parents we've talked to like the idea of bonding with one provider who they trust and count on for support.
- Parents also like the fact that EIT focuses on their family and how things are going in their home instead of on "therapy time".
- Providers and parents alike look forward to the collaboration involved in the EIT model.
As time goes on, we will continue to post additional feedback and information we learn. Thank you for visiting our blog!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
New EIT Survey for St. Louis Area
Thank you to everyone who attended our EIT 101 and EIT Work Group Meetings last month. The feedback and participation has been very enlightening and will be helpful to us as we move forward. We will be posting information that we have gathered along with new updates regarding our transition to Early Intervention Teaming here in the St. Louis Area. For now, we'd like to ask everyone to take a few moments to complete another short survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/EITFollowUpSurveyFebruary2010
Again, thank you very much for your hard work and we look forward to the exciting changes in the future of First Steps!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/EITFollowUpSurveyFebruary2010
Again, thank you very much for your hard work and we look forward to the exciting changes in the future of First Steps!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
EIT 101 & Work Group Follow-up: Questions & Misconceptions
It has been a few weeks since our last EIT 101 & Work Group meeting and we really feel like we learned and heard a lot of good feedback. One of the main reasons we wanted to hold these meetings was to hear what the community's thoughts were regarding EIT. As we move forward, we wanted to share some of the questions, comments, or common misconceptions that we gathered from our series of meetings:
1) Will all families be required to switch to an Early Intervention Team (EIT) on July 1, 2010?
No. Our SPOE contract with DESE specifies that we have to meet certain percentages over a 4 year period which began on July 1, 2009. The contractual agreement states that the SPOE must assign at least 25% of all new children found eligible to an EIT by June 30 2011. This means that only new families referred to the program will be assigned to an EIT, but that any existing families in the program at that time, and in areas where EITs have been formed, will have the option to move to the EIT model if they choose to do so. Furthermore, the SPOE must assign an addition 50% of all new referrals to an EIT by June 30, 2012, and 100% of all new referrals will be assigned to EITs by June 30 2013.
It is our goal here in the St. Louis area to focus our initial EIT planning on some of hardest to reach areas in terms of numbers of providers. At this time, we have determined that to be St. Louis City and North St. Louis County.
2) The state is moving to this model to save money-
The transition to EITs in Missouri is a statewide effort to improve the quality and focus of supports that families receive through First Steps in addition to enhancing the structure of our provider base through the formation of teams. First Steps has always been an education program that focuses on strengthening the capacity of the family and primary caregivers for their child. The premise of the EIT model is to support the family and child through assigning a Primary Provider who will develop a relationship with the family that will be important in conveying strategies and activities that are essential to the child being able to learn.
3) Children will receive less therapy in this model-
The decision of how often any provider will visit a family will always be an IFSP team decision. The IFSP team consists of the family, family service coordinator, provider(s), and any other members invited by the family (PAT, relatives, physicians, etc.). With the EIT model, IFSP teams will still make service decisions, but the focus should always be on understanding the family concerns and priorites in the context of their daily life and not a therapy routine. The outcomes in an IFSP should be focused on activities that help support the child's parents/caregivers ability to support their child throughout their daily life. The role of the Primary Provider will be to visit the family on a regular basis, determined by the IFSP team, and provide early intervention support directed at the child and family needs. The IFSP team may also consider utilizing the support of other providers in the way of joint visits. Joint visits are an opportunity for other disciplines, other than the primary, to have direct contact with the child and family, providing coaching and demonstration.
4) Service Coordinators will be picking their favorite providers to be on teams-
The process of developing teams and assigning providers to those teams is a SPOE responsibility. The SPOE Directors for Regions 1 & 2 will develop a process for collecting information from providers interested in being considered for an EIT. There will be an application involved that will ask providers for details related to their particular discipline area, time committment, geographic area(s) of interest.
5) The SPOE will assign teams without regard to providers who already work together-
We value providers who have established professional relationships and have used those relationships to enhance the support they provide to First Steps families. The application process will address this area, however, each provider will be viewed individually first whether they are an independent or work for an agency. In addition, providers will be able to serve on more than one team if needed.
6) As a Primary Provider, will I be asked to provide "therapy" outside of my discipline?
No. It is unethical to ask any professional to provide any service that they are not licensed or trained to provide. However, as the Primary Provider, you will be the main source of education and coaching for the family. You will visit the family more often than the rest of the team, but any "direct" contact needed from another discipline will happen via joint visits. Also, with the EIT model, the Primary Provider will be able to consult with the other team members to bring information back to the family.
7) What type of training will we receive as we move to this model?
1) Will all families be required to switch to an Early Intervention Team (EIT) on July 1, 2010?
No. Our SPOE contract with DESE specifies that we have to meet certain percentages over a 4 year period which began on July 1, 2009. The contractual agreement states that the SPOE must assign at least 25% of all new children found eligible to an EIT by June 30 2011. This means that only new families referred to the program will be assigned to an EIT, but that any existing families in the program at that time, and in areas where EITs have been formed, will have the option to move to the EIT model if they choose to do so. Furthermore, the SPOE must assign an addition 50% of all new referrals to an EIT by June 30, 2012, and 100% of all new referrals will be assigned to EITs by June 30 2013.
It is our goal here in the St. Louis area to focus our initial EIT planning on some of hardest to reach areas in terms of numbers of providers. At this time, we have determined that to be St. Louis City and North St. Louis County.
2) The state is moving to this model to save money-
The transition to EITs in Missouri is a statewide effort to improve the quality and focus of supports that families receive through First Steps in addition to enhancing the structure of our provider base through the formation of teams. First Steps has always been an education program that focuses on strengthening the capacity of the family and primary caregivers for their child. The premise of the EIT model is to support the family and child through assigning a Primary Provider who will develop a relationship with the family that will be important in conveying strategies and activities that are essential to the child being able to learn.
3) Children will receive less therapy in this model-
The decision of how often any provider will visit a family will always be an IFSP team decision. The IFSP team consists of the family, family service coordinator, provider(s), and any other members invited by the family (PAT, relatives, physicians, etc.). With the EIT model, IFSP teams will still make service decisions, but the focus should always be on understanding the family concerns and priorites in the context of their daily life and not a therapy routine. The outcomes in an IFSP should be focused on activities that help support the child's parents/caregivers ability to support their child throughout their daily life. The role of the Primary Provider will be to visit the family on a regular basis, determined by the IFSP team, and provide early intervention support directed at the child and family needs. The IFSP team may also consider utilizing the support of other providers in the way of joint visits. Joint visits are an opportunity for other disciplines, other than the primary, to have direct contact with the child and family, providing coaching and demonstration.
4) Service Coordinators will be picking their favorite providers to be on teams-
The process of developing teams and assigning providers to those teams is a SPOE responsibility. The SPOE Directors for Regions 1 & 2 will develop a process for collecting information from providers interested in being considered for an EIT. There will be an application involved that will ask providers for details related to their particular discipline area, time committment, geographic area(s) of interest.
5) The SPOE will assign teams without regard to providers who already work together-
We value providers who have established professional relationships and have used those relationships to enhance the support they provide to First Steps families. The application process will address this area, however, each provider will be viewed individually first whether they are an independent or work for an agency. In addition, providers will be able to serve on more than one team if needed.
6) As a Primary Provider, will I be asked to provide "therapy" outside of my discipline?
No. It is unethical to ask any professional to provide any service that they are not licensed or trained to provide. However, as the Primary Provider, you will be the main source of education and coaching for the family. You will visit the family more often than the rest of the team, but any "direct" contact needed from another discipline will happen via joint visits. Also, with the EIT model, the Primary Provider will be able to consult with the other team members to bring information back to the family.
7) What type of training will we receive as we move to this model?
We view training as an ongoing need. We heard a lot of great suggestions and feedback from our meetings. Some of those were:
- Basic First Steps Beliefs
- Coaching & Cross Training
- Team Building
- Addressing Soical Emotional needs
- Facilitating Meetings
At this time, we do not have any formal trainings scheduled, but as we discover resources we will post them here on or send out email to the field. We do recommend that you visit the EIT page on the DESE website: http://www.dese.mo.gov/divspeced/FirstSteps/EITEAMpage.htm for additional up to date documentation and information regarding EIT.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Provider Matrix
Attention All Providers:
Please make sure to regularly update your matrix availability at least on a monthly basis. If you do not update matrix listings on a regular basis, then your accounts become stagnant and will be "grayed out". Service Coordinators have been instructed to check the matrix before making referrals to providers or before entering auths to make sure that a provider is not "grayed out". Essentially, being grayed out will signal the Service Coordinator that your account may not be active and we will not be able to enter authorizations for services.
Please make sure to regularly update your matrix availability at least on a monthly basis. If you do not update matrix listings on a regular basis, then your accounts become stagnant and will be "grayed out". Service Coordinators have been instructed to check the matrix before making referrals to providers or before entering auths to make sure that a provider is not "grayed out". Essentially, being grayed out will signal the Service Coordinator that your account may not be active and we will not be able to enter authorizations for services.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
St. Louis Area EIT Survey
Please take a few moments to answer a short list of survey questions related to EIT planning in our region. Your answers will be anonymous so we will not be able to trace them back to any specific person. Follow this link to access the survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7GD5YVW
Thank you in advance for your time!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7GD5YVW
Thank you in advance for your time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)